Monday, June 30, 2008

The above pic is Alex and Brett Harris. Founders of the Rebelution. Brett wore the hat so that we could all tell them apart. This is the view from our seats. Front row center!!!

The above pic is sadly missing some very important people, like our drummer Caleb, our pastor's son, Caleb, and Lauren's sister, Lindsey. From right to left is Lauren, our vocalist and acoustic guitarist; Hayley from our church; Brandon, our djembe player and bassist; Regan from our church; Hayden from our church; and Josh, our electric and acoustic guitarist. Do I have to really tell you who the 2 people are in the middle?

Lauren will be posting pics soon of our time in Dallas at the Rebelution conference. She will also post pics of one of our recent practice sessions. Please pray for the upcoming performance in Oklahoma for a 4th of July picnic off the lake.

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

The VIVIT band originally had David Attebery as their instructor. Before he moved, he truly left an indelible imprint of Christ on their lives. Mr. Attebery highly recommended that we contact Neil Greenhaw to take his place.The first meeting with Mr. Greenhaw was essentially him introducing himself and his passion to teach the next generation of worship leaders. He then asked them the hard questions as he inspired them to think Biblically about why they play. It was excellent.What stood out was when he said, "I will have failed if, within the time we spend together, all you have done is grow in your skill and not in your love for the Lord and the desire to give Him glory."In other words, if you are just doing this for fun and to get better at singing or playing your instrument, then you are doing this for the wrong reasons.

"Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it ALL for the glory of God."--I Corinthians 10:31

Mr. Attebery has sent an e-mail. He misses you guys and is excited to hear of what the Lord is accomplishing in your lives. He also wanted to make sure that at the next lesson with Mr. Greenhaw, you all thump him on the head and tell him it is from Mr. Attebery. :-D

Monday, June 23, 2008

We were thankful to see familiar faces out there. Family, friends, Providence Academy classmates. That meant a lot to the band. We had three people separately come up to them and ask either if they would consider performing at another event or telling them that they are going to specifically get them in contact with a promoter. The audience was floored that they were only 13 to 15 years old and were encouraged by their message and boldness to proclaim Christ in song and in words.

As usual, there were challenges, but thankfully the instructor for the band has ingrained in them the importance of persevering even when the challenges come. Setting up the sound system for playing outside is completely different then inside, so there were adjustments that could have potentially been rattling. There were also challenges with the mic for the djembe.

What stood out is that they pressed on, exemplified Christ and sent a message to the audience about Christ and the Rebelution in both words and actions.

Their next performance will be at a 4th of July picnic on the lake in Oklahoma. Please consider them in your prayers that they will give God all the glory, and not glory in themselves.

This has been an experience in their lives that the Lord has used to grow them both in the talents God has given them, and grow them in the grace and knowledge of the Lord. During their practices they each talk about something they are thankful for and why; they have been reading through Scripture together; sharing the history of the songs they are performing and what those songs personally mean to them; and praying for one another as they proclaim thankfulness to the Lord for His abundant mercies and grace.From the parents of the VIVIT band member:"...we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.--Colossians 1:9-14

The band is looking at some of the old hymns from C.H. Spurgeons Metropolitan Tabernacle Hymnbook. They want to set some of them to their style of music. Pray for this venture... and to God alone be the glory.

---VIVIT Performance: 5:50pm (yes, they changed it)---They will have 10 minutes to set up all of their equipment (they originally said 15 minutes)---We have to be there one hour before they perform---They will have 25 minutes to perform (they originally said 30 minutes)

The other day during practice it took them 22 minutes. I think we will be good as long as they do not get distracted.

In previous performances, kids have asked for autographs from the band. This typically happens more to the vocalist. This is an opportunity for the band members to give glory to God. How? They are all actually really uncomfortable with writing their signature. My suggestion is to point to Christ in their words as they are talking to them and write along with their signature something like "To God be all the glory" or "In Christ alone" along with their favorite Scripture reference. This is also when they will be giving out "Do Hard Things" brochures.

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Hey guys!One of the songs that we're performing at our next concert (which is coming REAL soon) is called "Slow Fade." This song is about how some people (who are Christians) have made little compromises in life (little "white" lies, going the next step in a relationship, etc.), and all of a sudden, those people are in a place where they'd never go, doing things that they'd never do...

I have a friend who was like a sister to me. She was my best friend in elementary and middle school. We were so close to each other...Then I started homeschooling in the middle of the seventh grade. The first day of school without me there with her, she told me she had a boyfriend..I didn't think much about it, until she broke up with him and hooked up with another boy...and then another...then another...until finally two years later, she told me she was ENGAGED to her new boyfriend...who does things she would never have approved of several years ago. That woke me up. I tried to explain to her what that means, but she was stubborn about it and kept saying, "I love him, and I'll do anything in the world for him."

Woah. That's a big deal. What she just said, has said, "I'll do ANYTHING for him." What would he want her to do in the future? Basically, what she just did, was give her whole self up to him.

Now hold up. Aren't we supposed to do that with GOD? And NOT with a person (until marriage)?

Going on to say, she was (and still is) becoming more like the world. See, she fell for little compromises and it drug her lower and lower, to a place that I KNOW she wouldn't have gone two years ago...which makes me really sad, because she was my best friend, and I hate to see her going through this.

In Psalm 1:1-2, it says: "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the seat of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night."

Have you ever heard of the saying, "You are what you eat"? It's the same thing with "You are who you hang out with."

When I saw the lyrics to this song, I immediately thought of my friend.

Mark Hall, singer and songwriter for Casting Crowns, says, "Imagine the man in these verses totally breaking down, but just a little at a time. First, he's walking, then standing, and eventually sitting, just slowly shutting down. He doesn't crash suddenly-there's no sudden crash in the Christian life. The 'crash' is just the fruit of a slow fade."

"Be careful if you think you stand, you just might be sinking."

In 1 Corinthians 10:12-13, it says, "So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it."

What about you? Have you made little compromises and started to sink down? Or have you sunk down the farthest that you could possibly go?

I encourage you to read Psalm 103. It tells of our loving and compassionate God, who redeems us from the pits of life. He is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love. As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

God bless!~Lauren

Why the Cross? Because sinners have no other hope. Why the Cross? Because it is the unassailable proof that we can be forgiven.--The Great Rescue

Monday, June 16, 2008

Please pray for us (most especially that God will get all the glory!). We will be performing at a mayoral candidate picnic for Nancy Jenkins this Sunday at 5:50pm in Springdale, Arkansas. Six days after this performance, we will all be attending the "Do Hard Things" Rebelution conference in Dallas. Hope to see you there!

We will be doing the following songs at the picnic:

1. Amazing Grace, My Chains are Gone (Tomlin)2. Holy is the Lord (Tomlin)3. Meant to Live (Switchfoot) before this song, Lauren will quote I Timothy 4:12 and talk about The Rebelution4. All Bow Down (Tomlin) before this song, Lauren will tell everyone what our band name means and quote "...at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord."5. Long Live the King (Aaron Shust) after this song we will give a testimonial as to why the next song is important to us6. Slow Fade (Casting Crowns) Josh and Brandon's 5 and 7 year old sisters will sing the last part

(All of the links on the song titles will lead you to the lyrics for that song)

Below is a video of "Slow Fade." VIVIT does a milder rendition with an acoustic guitar, djembe and drums added closer to the end. This song means a lot to us. Lauren will share why at the picnic. We all have had someone that we have witnessed slowly fade away.

"Dear Members of "Vivit,"Thank you! ...I am so grateful for the passion God has placed in your hearts to glorify Him! You shall set the standards high and achieve great things for Him!"--Springdale Mayoral Candidate

"I am so impressed by your boys and the band! Lauren seems so mature and it was such a testimony to hear scriptures, examples in-between the songs. They sound great together! I will be praying for them. Please tell VIVIT how much I enjoyed seeing them perform last night."--daughter of Mayoral Candidate

"It is so exciting to see how God is working in the lives of Providence students, and raising them up to be leaders for the next generation. God is so good. Please continue to keep us updated on the band."--Providence Classical Christian Academy Board Member

We named our band VIVIT because it is Latin for "He Lives."It is because of Christ's sacrifice on the cross and the fact that He arose from the dead and lives in our hearts and at the right hand of God, the Father, that we are who we are and long to give HIM all the glory!!!